Macacua Ally Secures Parliament Seat for BFP in Cotabato City 3rd District

MANILA, Philippines – Tomanda Antok, founding chairman of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), has secured a parliamentary seat in Cotabato City's 3rd District, a significant win that bolsters the faction of interim chief minister Abdulraof Macacua within the Bangsamoro Parliament. Antok garnered 9,223 votes, or 49.92% of the total, according to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) website. This victory means Macacua's bloc has gained an additional vote in the parliament, crucial for the eventual election of the BARMM chief minister. He defeated Hashim Baluno Manticayan of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), by a narrow margin of 253 votes. Manticayan secured 8,970 votes, or 48.55% of the total. Reynaldo Largo Canen of the Bangsamoro Empowerment and Social Transformation Party ranked last with 283 votes (1.53%). The race was particularly high-stakes due to Antok's history with the MILF and its political party. Antok and his allies in the BFP had been stripped of their positions in the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) just a week before the BARMM polls, stemming from a "leadership rift years in the making." Tensions had escalated following Macacua's assumption of the interim chief minister post from Al Haj Murad Ebrahim in March 2025, with reports of disagreements over decision-making with the MILF. This election outcome is seen as consolidating Macacua's influence within the BARMM's political landscape. Like other newly elected parliament members, Antok will serve a special five-year transition term from October 30, 2026, to June 30, 2031. He will be one of the 32 district representatives comprising 40% of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament.